In September, I had the chance to spend a few days in Brussels with YMCA colleagues from across Europe, taking part in a Capacity Building Workshop facilitated by YMCA Europe.

We were joined by YMCA leaders from Spain, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland, Ukraine, Armenia and France. It was a great opportunity to share what’s happening in each of our YMCAs – the things that are going well, the challenges we’re facing and, importantly, what we can learn from each other.

We spent time looking at organisational culture and development, using YMCA Health Assessments to think about where our organisations are now and where we want to go next. Some of the best learning came simply from being around the table together and hearing how other YMCAs are tackling many of the same issues we face here in Ireland.

While in Brussels, I also attended the EHMC Community Forum and the launch of the Educational Hubs initiative, hearing about the work being done to support Ukrainian refugees and the communities welcoming them. Local hubs and mobile centres are helping people with everything from language and digital learning to finding employment, accessing wellbeing and legal support, and childcare.

The Forum brought together 77 people from 44 organisations across 24 countries, so there was a real mix of experiences and perspectives in the room. What came through strongly was that lasting inclusion isn’t about providing one-off support. It’s about listening to communities, building relationships and making sure people can get the help they need where they are.

It was a busy few days, but a really worthwhile one. I came home with lots of ideas, new connections and plenty to think about for YMCA Ireland. More than anything, it was another reminder of the value of being part of the wider YMCA family and having opportunities to learn from each other.

Andrea Spence, YMCA Ireland